Goldfish bowl syndrome

Goldfish Bowl Syndrome.

I think it could be a real thing, though... I'm not finding anything online. 

We had our first house showing last night and I cannot even describe to you in intelligible sentences how much WORK I got done yesterday in preparation. Wow. I cleaned and scraped and painted and dusted, purged and packed, tossed and scrubbed the strangest items in our home. Just in hopes that if someone actually did look that closely... 

Today, the work load is light. Everything is so clean and organized, calm. The kids and I spent the morning at the library just so we could come home {again}to an amazingly clean home. :) I feel like we live in a goldfish bowl with the clear glass all around - so that others can look in and see if they like it. 

After lunch today I was reading a ballet book to my biggest girl while the 2 year old started a good ol' fashioned tantrum when she couldn't put on her own tutu. I know, it's dramatic at 2. So while I'm doing the voices for ballerina book and attempting to pull up a tutu on the squirming, tired child - I realize there is a lady standing in our yard. Yep, right outside the window that my child is screaming by. This gal had parked her car to face our home - right in the middle of the street and was unashamedly snapping shot after shot of the house. Weird angles, too. Like... our mailbox. Hey, I don't ask anymore. As she approached our realtors sign I stepped onto the porch to see if she needed anything - and maybe that's against the rules?! There is a fine line here for me. 

She told me she lived behind us, and in this area for her entire life. She was a single lady whose children had grown up and left home. She appreciated how we had taken care of the property and that her best friend was interested in this house. My house! I was kinda dumbfounded and a lil' awkward because I'm new to all of this - but, I offered her a flyer for info and she was happy to take it. {please keep in mind her car was now blocking traffic}Then continued to take a few more pics. :) 

I'm amazed the tantrum thrower was quiet and the impatient book reader was patient. All in that moment. 

Then, hubby sends a text to tell me the showing last night went well - people loved the house and are waiting to see if they can afford it. 

So I just smile. And again I remember to trust. 

We walk back into the goldfish bowl, tuck baby into bed, finish ballet book... 

And the bowl is tidy again. Ready for another day. 

The Countdown

 

So it's May 12th and I have a count down going on internally.
My baby turns 1 next week. {sniff, sniff}
We have graduations, open houses and parties all this weekend and the next two to follow.
I am done babysitting full time in 8 days.
We will travel to Ohio at the end of the month.

Wow. While this time of the year seems to slow down for so many, it sure picks up in speed for this family. The count down is on to end so many things - but, at the same time, begin new things.
My hubby leaves for Haiti with our teen mission team in a month-ish.
We have vacation bible school coming up at church.
We'll head to Michigan to take our teens to camp and a week of family vacation.
Crazy.

Something I've been learning A LOT lately is that flexibility and good attitudes are so helpful when things are crazy busy. I've been convicted and shown several times that when Momma is grumpy and whiny about things - the kids will be too! It's amazing to me how the Lord uses my children to continually teach me things. Things you'd think I'd already have learned over these last 29 years!

Ah, countdowns.
What are you counting down in your home? Anything exciting coming up?

Spring Break then and now.

Oh, how the expectations in life have changed...

12 years ago Spring Break would have looked like this:

with a little of this thrown in...

and a lot of this...with friends.


Then, in college, there was more of the same... only, more softball and less "fun".

Fast forward LOTS of years and this is what I'm dreaming of for Spring Break:



with a little of this...


And, hopefully a little of this...



I don't ask for much.
Just a few more hours until SPRING BREAK!!!